Trauma Therapy Dual Diagnosis at Creative Care. Traumatic experiences, particularly those suffered in childhood, can have a major impact on an individual’s health. The CDC defines these adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, as physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; physical and emotional neglect; and household dysfunction, namely mental illness, substance use, domestic violence, divorce, or an incarcerated relative. A 1998 CDC-Kaiser study showed that any four of these ten events can put an individual at an increased risk of physical, mental, and behavioral health issues later in life, including substance use disorders. The dual diagnosis treatment plan at Creative Care finds its core in unearthing and understanding these traumatic experiences and how they contribute to co-occurring substance use disorders. Trauma therapy is a powerful means of treatment that goes to the source of mental health problems while offering alternatives to the dysfunctional behaviors that have resulted from them.
Trauma therapy is more of an approach to treatment than a specific type of therapy, though we do offer methods that have proven to be particularly effective in treating the fallout from trauma. Psychodynamic therapy is especially helpful in drawing the connections between current thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and early traumatic experiences. Clients begin to build self-awareness, learn how the past affects the present, and heal old wounds. Cognitive behavioral therapy, on the other hand, attends to the behavioral symptoms of trauma and teaches clients positive coping skills in place of dysfunctional habits. Additionally, somatic therapies like EMDR address the physical responses of traumatic triggers and begin to heal the mind-body divide. Above all, though, trauma therapy means treating survivors of trauma with compassion and respect.
As traumatic experiences are so common in the histories of those suffering from co-occurring substance use disorders, Creative Care includes trauma therapy in our dual diagnosis treatment program. We see each client as an individual and help them achieve validation and acceptance of themselves as they are while simultaneously helping them change their dysfunctional behavior. A completely personalized dual diagnosis treatment plan may also include:
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Mindfulness interventions and meditation
- Activities groups
- Psychological and diagnostic testing
- Family therapy
- Attachment-based psychotherapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Art therapy
- EMDR
- Yoga
Our fully equipped staff, including a consulting psychiatrist, psychotherapists, registered nurses, counselors, and other highly trained professionals, works as a team to get to the root of each client’s needs. If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health, please give Creative Care a call today.